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Boosie BadAzz is blaming Atlanta hospitals for some health issues he’s experienced since being involved in a nasty car crash earlier this month. On Wednesday, Boosie hopped on Instagram to explain how he’s been having chest pains since the accident, and blamed Atlanta hospitals for not taking his injuries seriously. “I keep going to the […]
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., Will and Harper, Super Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Shōgun, Hacks and comedy specials starring Alex Edelman and Ramy Youssef are among music, comedy and entertainment-related programs that have been nominated for 2025 Peabody Awards.
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. tells the story of the fabled label that rose out of Memphis, Tennessee, to become one of the most successful R&B labels in music history. The label was founded by two siblings, business partners Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (whose last names formed the basis of the label’s name). Booker T. & the M.G.’s served as the label’s house band. Other artists signed to the label in its glory years include Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd and Isaac Hayes.
Other nominated programs or films with a strong music tie-in are Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, about a Black trans soul singer, and We Are Lady Parts, a comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band.
Trending on Billboard
Alex Edelman won a Primetime Emmy in September for outstanding writing for a variety special for his HBO special Alex Edelman: Just for Us. The comedian won a special Tony three months before that for the Broadway show which was the basis for the special.
Nominees in the Arts, Children’s/Youth, Entertainment, and Interactive & Immersive categories were announced on Thursday (April 17). Nominees in Documentary, News, Public Service, and Radio/Podcast categories were announced on April 15.
Winners of the 85th Annual Peabody Awards will be announced on May 1, and celebrated on Sunday, June 1, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The ceremony will be hosted by Roy Wood Jr. Longtime NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell will receive the Career Achievement Award and landmark NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live will be honored with the Institutional Award.
Here are 2025 Peabody Award nominees that have a connection to music, comedy or entertainment. The capsule descriptions of each show are provided by the Peabody organization.
DOCUMENTARY
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (Crave; Bangers Films and the National Film Board of Canada)
“This film brings to life the powerful voice and legacy of Jackie Shane, a Black trans soul singer who vanished at the height of fame and now tells her story in her own works. Blending rare audio recordings, animated visuals, and family revelations, the film honors Shane’s trailblazing journey, celebrating her impact as an icon who lived authentically long before the world was ready.”
Queendom (A Galdanova Film Production in association with Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, International Documentary Association, InMaat Productions, Doc Society and Sopka Films)
“Jenna, a 21-year-old queer artist from a remote Russian town, uses haunting, otherworldly performances in the streets of Moscow to protest LGBTQ+ oppression and challenge societal norms around beauty and identity. Documenting Jenna’s bold art and activism, this film offers a powerful, intimate look at resilience under repression.”
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. (HBO | Max; HBO Documentary Films presents in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, Warner Music Entertainment; A Laylow Pictures production; A White Horse Pictures production)
“This four-part documentary series traces the rise and fall of Stax Records, the groundbreaking Memphis-based, interracial, soul label that launched the careers of icons such as Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. Through rare archival footage, intimate interviews, and an immersive sonic experience, the series offers an unflinching, deeply human portrait of artistic innovation, community resilience, and the enduring struggle for Black empowerment in America.”
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (HBO | Max; DC Studios / HBO Documentary Films / CNN Films)
“After a devastating accident left him paralyzed, Christopher Reeve became a powerful symbol of resilience, using his platform to inspire hope and advocate for disability rights. Throughout it all, he remained a passionate actor, filmmaker, and devoted family man, with his wife Dana as his unwavering support.”
Will & Harper (Netflix; A Netflix Documentary / A Wayfarer Studios Film / A Delirio Films Production / A Gloria Sanchez Production)
“Actor Will Ferrell and his longtime collaborator and friend Harper Steele take a road trip across America together, getting reacquainted after Harper’s midlife gender transition. They experience mixed reactions at different stops along the way as Will asks occasionally awkward questions and realizes the limits of his fame to combat prejudice, painting a realistically complex portrait of allyship.”
RADIO/PODCAST
The Good Whale (Serial Productions and The New York Times)
“Serial Productions and The New York Times tell the story of efforts to free the orca who played the title role in the film Free Willy from an amusement park in Mexico City. The epic experiment takes a number of unexpected turns, calling into question the practice of keeping animals in captivity—even, and maybe especially, celebrity animals.”
Pulse: The Untold Story (Trevor Aaronson, Western Sound, and Audible)
“In this Audible production, host Trevor Aaronson challenges the established narrative surrounding the Pulse nightclub shooting, revealing that it was not a premeditated anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime, but rather an opportunistic act by shooter Omar Mateen—a shocking revelation that has received little coverage.”
CHILDREN/YOUTH
Out of My Mind (Disney+)
“This coming-of-age film, based on a 2010 novel by Sharon M. Draper, stars Phoebe-Ray Taylor as a sixth-grader with cerebral palsy facing the challenges of being in a mainstream class for the first time. Her thoughts are voiced by Jennifer Aniston, the non-verbal character’s favorite actress from Friends, and her family is played by Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby, and Judith Light.” (Big Beach, Participant, EveryWhere Studios LLC, and Disney Branded Television)
ENTERTAINMENT
Alex Edelman: Just For Us (HBO | Max)
“Comedian Alex Edelman presents his deeply personal solo show about identity, assimilation, and empathy, centered around his real-life experience attending a meeting of White Nationalists as a Jewish man. Over seven years, the show evolved through conversation, revision, and audience engagement, ultimately becoming a celebrated HBO special that resonated profoundly in a time of rising antisemitism and ideological division.” (HBO in association with Enfield Tennis Academy, Above Average, and Seaview Productions)
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
“Baby Reindeer follows Donny, a troubled comedian entangled in a toxic relationship with a stalker, as he gradually unravels how his past has shaped his self-destructive behavior and relationships. At its core, the series explores how unaddressed trauma perpetuates cycles of harm, ultimately becoming a powerful and resonant meditation on healing, empathy, and the enduring impact of abuse.” (A Netflix Series / A Clerkenwell Films Production)
Clipped (FX/Hulu)
“This sports docudrama, created by Gina Welch, based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs, tells the story of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s downfall after his recorded racist remarks were publicized.” (FX Productions)
Fantasmas (HBO | Max)
“Created by and starring Julio Torres, Fantasmas is a surreal, genre-defying HBO comedy series that blends narrative and sketch to explore themes of alienation, queerness, and identity through a whimsical quest for a lost oyster earring in a dreamlike version of New York City. With its bold visual style, diverse cast, and deeply personal storytelling, the show stands as a singular testament to the value of unconventional, imaginative voices.” (HBO in association with Irony Point, Fruit Tree, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Space Prince Inc.)
Hacks (HBO | Max)
“Season 3 of Hacks explores the renewed dynamic between comedy legend Deborah Vance and young writer Ava Daniels as they reunite after a year apart, reigniting their creative spark just in time for Deborah’s shot at hosting Late Night. As Deborah fights to claim a long-denied dream and Ava learns to advocate for herself, the season becomes a powerful reflection on ambition, legacy, and the courage it takes—especially for women—to boldly ask for what they want.” (Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment)
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (PBS/MASTERPIECE)
“This four-part drama is based on the true story of U.K. sub-postmasters who were falsely accused of theft due to a faulty computer system, revealing one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history. The series sparked nationwide outrage, led to real-world legal reform, and highlighted the extraordinary courage of ordinary people fighting back against institutional abuse.” (A Co-Production of ITV Studios, Little Gem, and MASTERPIECE for ITV)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Netflix)
“One Hundred Years of Solitude follows José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán as they flee their village and found the mythical town of Macondo, where generations of their family grapple with love, madness, war, and a haunting curse in this stunning adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s 1967 masterpiece.” (Netflix / Dynamo)
Ramy Youssef: More Feelings (HBO | Max)
“In Ramy Youssef: More Feelings, the comedian reflects on the complexities of being a Muslim public figure in America, confronting issues of representation, Islamophobia, and the emotional toll of being expected to respond to global crises.” (HBO presents a Cairo Cowboy and A24 production)
Ripley (Netflix)
“Ripley follows a cunning grifter in 1960s New York who is hired to retrieve a wealthy man’s son from Italy, setting off a dark journey into deception, fraud, and murder. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novels, the limited series explores the chilling transformation of Tom Ripley as he manipulates his way through a life built on lies.” (Showtime and Endemol Shine North America in association with Entertainment 360 and Filmrights for Netflix)
Say Nothing (FX/Hulu)
“This FX limited series, adapted from Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction book, traces the unsolved murder of Jean McConville and the brutal complexities of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Through deeply human storytelling, the series transcends its historical setting to explore universal themes of violence, trauma, idealism, and the moral ambiguities of political conflict.” (FX Productions)
Shōgun (FX/Hulu)
“Creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks reimagine James Clavell’s classic tale through a modern lens, exploring what it means for two cultures to collide and transform one another with empathy and authenticity. By involving Japanese collaborators in every facet of production, they move beyond the “stranger in a strange land” trope to create a more inclusive, respectful, and culturally rich storytelling process that could serve as a new standard for global filmmaking.” (FX Productions)
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)
“We Are Lady Parts is a bold, joyful comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band navigating identity, ambition, and sisterhood, blending sharp humor with themes of inclusivity and representation. In its second season, the series elevates its complexity, challenging cultural stereotypes with heart, humor, and killer music as the band experiences the pressures of success and navigates how to remain true to themselves while monetizing their art.” (Working Title Television, a part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group)
Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs asked a federal judge Thursday (April 17) to exclude the infamous 2016 surveillance video of him assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura from his upcoming sex trafficking trial, arguing it would “unfairly confuse and mislead the jury.”
The headline-grabbing clip, showing Combs striking his then-girlfriend in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, has been “altered, manipulated, sped-up, and edited to be out of sequence,” making it unusable as evidence at his trial next month, his lawyers told the judge.
“The admission of any of these inaccurate, unreliable video files would unfairly confuse and mislead the jury at Mr. Combs’s expense,” the star’s lawyers wrote in the filing. “Their admission would be infinitely more prejudicial than probative.”
In the lead up to the trial, Combs’ lawyers have repeatedly targeted the Cassie tape — likely a core piece of evidence that the government will present to jurors. In one motion, they argued that federal authorities had improperly leaked it to the press to “taint the jury pool.” Last month, they accused CNN of significantly altering the clip and then destroying the original before the network aired it last May.
With Thursday’s filing, Combs’ lawyers finally did what court-watchers were expecting: formally asking the judge to ban the clip from the trial. They cited a report from a forensic video expert that said the clip had been distorted beyond repair, including edits by CNN that Combs’ team says were intentionally made to make the video look worse.
“The manipulation of the videos was specifically designed to inflame the passions of CNN’s viewing audience, and that is what the government is hoping to leverage in this case,” Combs’ attorneys write. “The videos are sped up to make the violence look more violent. The sequence is reordered to leave the viewer with the impression that the woman has been dragged back to a hotel room. And the clips delete footage that provides important context making clear that the events were not as horrific as the government will suggest.”
Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation that aimed to “fulfill his sexual desires.” The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.
A trial is currently set for May 5, though Combs’ lawyers are currently seeking to push the trial back by two months. If convicted on all of the charges, which include sex trafficking and racketeering, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.
The Cassie video, which aired on CNN in May, showed him attacking her at the Intercontinental Hotel in March 2016. The clip drew far more public attention to the accusations against the star — who was then only facing a civil lawsuit — and prompted an apology from Combs shortly after it aired.
“My behavior on that video is inexcusable,” Combs said at the time. “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry.”
Prosecutors and plaintiffs’ attorneys have criticized Combs and his lawyers over their efforts to bar the video from his trial. In one filing, the government said Combs was attacking the clip in an effort to “suppress a damning piece of evidence.” And Douglas Wigdor, Cassie’s attorney, called the star’s arguments “disingenuous” last month: “I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity.”
In 2024, several young pop stars experienced eye-popping career explosions over the course of just a few months — but one of them, Gracie Abrams, thinks that the combined star power of two of her peers allowed her to climb the ranks without as many people realizing.
In her Billboard cover story published Thursday (April 17), the “That’s So True” singer reflected on how she, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan all quickly rose to superstar status in 2024, with Abrams emphasizing how she thinks her own arc has differed from theirs. “When I think about both of their rises, it’s like, boom,” she told staff writer Hannah Dailey.
“I feel like I’ve almost slipped under the radar a little bit [in comparison],” she added.
Trending on Billboard
As captured in the video interview, Abrams went on to gush about her admiration for both the “Espresso” singer and “Pink Pony Club” artist. “In pop culture, the impact that both Sabrina and Chappell have had on the industry has been so exciting to watch,” she said. “Forget being an artist and somebody that puts music out as well. I think as a young person, there’s something so liberating about both their catalogs of music and the way that they’re choosing to run their businesses.
“It’s so obviously them through and through,” Abrams added. “I find that to be deeply inspiring. I’m a mega fan of both of theirs, and, yeah, just constantly kind of screaming my head off for them.”
Even so, the “Risk” artist’s ascent has been something to behold. Following the release of her Billboard 200 No. 2 sophomore album The Secret of Us in June, Abrams’ fanbase has grown exponentially, and since the fall, she’s gone from playing theater-size venues to booking arenas on her ongoing international run of Secret of Us Tour dates.
As her star has risen, Abrams also told Billboard that another leading lady in pop has helped her stay grounded: Lorde. “She’s like 800 years old inside,” she said of the “Green Light” musician. “Whenever we’re together, I feel my nervous system regulate differently.”
There’s also two other women musicians Abrams has been loving right now: Doechii, whose music she says she’s currently “quite addicted to,” and Lady Gaga. “When I think about songwriter greats, she has been top of mind recently,” Abrams told Billboard of Mother Monster.
See Abrams on the cover of Billboard — plus photos from the shoot — below.
Fat Joe and Starz are teaming up once again for a series about the Bronx rapper’s life. According to Deadline, The Book of Jose will be a rags-to-riches story about Joe’s rise to fame. Born Joseph Antonio Cartagena and of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent, Fat Joe grew up in the rough-and-tumble environment of the […]
Snoop Dogg says he only works with brands and companies that support his community. In an interview with Time published on Wednesday as part of the magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2025, Snoop was asked about how he successfully dabbles in multiple brands. He said he approaches each of his collaborations with a philanthropic […]
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Source: Getty Images / Roman Reigns / Donald Trump
WWE fans are losing their sh*t, and are outright disappointed in popular wrestler Roman Reigns throwing support behind the tariff abuser and divider-in-chief, Donald Trump.
Say it ain’t so, tribal chief, say ain’t it so.
That’s what wrestling fans are saying to Roman Reigns after he said in a recent interview with Vanity Fair that Trump was the “clear choice” when casting his vote in the 2024 election, despite him being a registered Democrat.
Per Vanity Fair:
Anoa’i is a registered Democrat, but he considers himself a centrist. In the most recent election, however, he says the choice was “very clear.”
“One person was giving us information. One person was answering questions, so it wasn’t that hard,” he says.
When I ask if that means that he backed Trump, Anoa’i pauses for a few seconds.
“I support our president. Trump is one of those guys where he’s got a vast history and a huge background. He’s been in entertainment. He’s been in big business, politics. At this point, I’m supporting a bright future for our country. Positive and competent leadership. For us to be what we’re supposed to be—to be a world leader and carry that respect and do what a world power like us should be doing.”
Reigns, real name Joe Anoa’i, did note that he isn’t totally onboard the MAGA train and that his support for Orange Mussolini isn’t unconditional. He does take issue with Trump going after political rivals, adding, “It’s like he needs that adversary,” while joking, “the world seems to be more like wrestling than any other form of entertainment.”
We wonder how he feels about the Trump administration sending people to El Salvadorian prisons by mistake, gross misuse of tariffs, and his administration’s attack on DEI, given that he is a person of color.
Social Media Is Superman Punching Roman Reigns
As expected, wrestling fans are BIG MAD and very disappointed in Reigns admitting to supporting Trump and have not been holding back in their criticism of the WWE superstar.
“fuck triple h, fuck donald trump, fuck roman reigns, fuck anyone defending this and especially fuck you hulk hogan,” one post on X, formerly Twitter said.
Another post read, “roman reigns is a trump supporter? THIS IS MY 9/11.”
Another user on X wrote, “finding out that Roman Reigns is a Trump supporter and one of the first things Trump did when he got back in office was cut funding for cancer research.. the jokes REALLY DO write themselves. just remember that wealth can’t buy health, look at Steve Jobs! just saying!”
Reigns’ support for Trump shouldn’t be shocking, especially regarding WWE wrestlers. The Undertaker and his fake brother Kane, whose real name is Glenn Jacobs, are both proud Trump supporters.
Linda McMahon, wife of disgraced WWE owner Vince McMahon, is the current Education Secretary in the Trump Administration.
What a damn shame.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Insanity
3. Make it, make sense
From Mariah Carey‘s iconic gold Emancipation of Mimi gown to Destiny’s Child‘s grown and sexy Destiny Fulfilled… and Lovin’ It tour looks, 2005 was stacked with memorable fashion moments across pop culture. As the midpoint of the ’00s decade, 2005 housed the last vestiges of Y2K style before the culture slowly began its transition into more […]
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Source: Venla Shalin / Getty
Mass Appeal just shook the game with a major announcement: they’re set to drop seven albums from rap legends in 2025, and it’s a celebration of Hip-Hop’s golden era like never before.
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Fans can expect brand-new projects from some of New York’s most iconic names, including Nas & DJ Premier, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Raekwon The Chef, Big L, and De La Soul. As for the seventh artist? Mass Appeal is keeping that under wraps, but they’ve promised a surprise that’ll be well worth the wait
One of the most anticipated projects in the lineup is Ghostface Killah’s “Supreme Clientele 2“, the long-rumored sequel to his 2000 classic. For years, fans have speculated whether this project would ever see the light of day, and now, it’s officially on the way. Meanwhile, fellow Wu-Tang legend Raekwon “The Chef” will be serving up heat on his upcoming album Emperor’s New Clothes, which is expected to deliver the gritty lyricism he’s known for.
Mass Appeal isn’t just looking to drop music, their goal is to honor the legacy of artists who’ve shaped the culture with timeless contributions. That’s why two of the first albums will pay tribute to fallen legends Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul, bringing fans new music that carries their spirits forward.
To top it all off, a posthumous album from Big L is also on the way, a rare and exciting treat for fans of the Harlem MC whose legacy still looms large in hip-hop history. Mass Appeal is clearly on a mission to blend nostalgia with fresh energy, and 2025 might just be a legendary year for rap.
More than three decades after The Bodyguard cemented Whitney Houston as a movie star, a remake is in the works — and Tyra Banks thinks Taylor Swift is the modern-day pop star who can fill the icon’s shoes this time around.
While guest-hosting a recent episode of Today With Jenna & Friends, the supermodel revealed that — as a big fan of the original movie — she’d love to see the Eras Tour headliner take over Houston’s role as famous musician Rachel Marron in the new film. “I’m so beyond excited,” Banks began of the announcement earlier this month that Warner Bros. is developing a revamped Bodyguard. “That movie is everything.”
When co-host Jenna Bush Hager asked her who should star in the flick, Banks replied, “I think Taylor Swift, because business, commerce, art.”
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And? “She would freaking sell like crazy,” the America’s Next Top Model host added.
As for who should step into Kevin Costner’s shoes as the leading lady’s titular protector, Banks thinks a certain British actor could balance out an onscreen duo with the “Fortnight” singer. “Okay, I’m just gonna be real. I’m a Black girl,” she said. “It was Whitney Houston as a Black girl and Kevin Costner as a white man. What if we flipped it, and it was Taylor Swift and Idris Elba?”
Of her idea for the pairing, Banks excitedly added that Swift and the Beast star would be “hot!”
Directed by Mick Jackson and released in 1992, The Bodyguard marked Houston’s first starring role in a film after she’d already scaled to the top of the charts as a pop star. Its corresponding album remains one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time, spending 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawning Houston’s timeless, Billboard Hot 100-topping rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
And though casting details for the upcoming remake remain unknown, Swift — who’s previously acted in films such as The Giver (2014), Cats (2019) and Amsterdam (2022) — does already have a connection to the project. Sam Wrench, who directed her blockbuster Eras Tour concert film, will be helming the new Bodyguard, as reported by Deadline on April 11.
Watch Banks share her thoughts on the upcoming Bodyguard remake above.